to be horrified by the 'left to die boat' and the fact I had not heard about it before?

[sashh]

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0101r27

I've just listened to this documentary called, 'The Left to Die Boat'.

During the Libyan uprising 72 people were put into an inflatable boat by Libyan soldiers and sent to sea. They were not Libyans but Africans attempting to get to Europe.

They ran out of fuel, food and water. After two weeks the boat washed up back in Lybia with 11 survivors, they were then put in prison.

The thing that has horrified me most is that on a number of occasions boats and helicopters came close enough to video and photograph the boat and it's occupants.

It was, apparently reported earlier this year www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/28/left-to-die-migrants-boat-inquiry

I wonder how many people die of thirst in the Mediteranian?

[monkeyfeet]

so very sad

[Trazzletoes]

How many people die of thirst in the mediterranean? More than you and I would care to count.

But it's ok, you see, because they are asylum-seekers or economic migrants and we DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THEM HERE THANK YOU. What they certainly are not are people desperately fleeing violence, torture, rape, persecution...

Because obviously there could never be anyone on these boats who has a genuine reason for claiming asylum

It is absolutely abhorrent that anyone should have to die like that, whether they are fleeing persecution or just trying to improve their lot in life.

[JurassicFart]

Awful, just unspeakably awful and desperately sad.

I completely agree with Trazzletoes. These people are fleeing war, rape, persecution and torture. They aren't coming here on a jaunt, to use the NHS or to see what it's like to go to school here or whatever. They deserve our compassion and our help. Stories like this just remind me how lucky I am.

[Funnylittleturkishdelight]

Wasn't there a boat with people dying outside Australian waters that their gov turned away?